Counting apparatus



Nov. 8, 1949 M. L. Nl-:LsoN

COUNTING APPARATUS Filed Junev 9, 1943 A INVENTOR. VQPL-/y l. Neson,

Patented Nov. 8, 1949 COUNTING APPARATUS Martin L. Nelson, Park Ridge, Ill., assignor to Production Instrument Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 9, 1943, Serial No. 490,133

(Cl. 23S-98) 10 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to counting apparatus, and the object of the invention is a new and improved apparatus of this character.

The invention is adapted for use in different situations, but is particularly well adapted for counting small articles such as nuts, screws, bottle caps, medicinal tablets or pills,l etc., which are put up in packages or containers for shipment and sale. Such articles are generally sold at a price based on the quantity, as so much per thousand, for example, and it is desirable, therefore, in the case of any given article, to provide a certain definite known number in each package. An article which is sold by the thousand will usually be put up in packages or containers each containing one thousand or some multiple of that number.

So-called predetermined counters have already been devised and have been used to some extent for counting out articles in lots of desired quantity. Such counters have been physically controlled by the articles being counted, in some cases, and in other cases have been controlled by means of a light beam and photoelectric cell,l and have operated satisfactorily for counting certain kinds of articles. So far as known, however, no counting apparatus has previously been made which is well adapted for counting extremely small and light articles of the above-mentioned character. It has been the practice, therefore, to count such articles by hand, if the cost is not prohibitive, or to determine the proper size of the lots by weight, the weight of the desired number being rst determined by actual trial. The latter method is not very accurate, due to slight variations in the weights of the individual articles.

In order to take care of this situation I have devised an inexpensive and accurate counting apparatus, including a simple and eiective arrangement by means of which the apparatus is controlled by the articles to be counted. The articles are caused to ldrop one at a time onto a resilient diaphragm, from which they rebound into a chute which delivers them to the package or container. Associated with the diaphragm there is a sensitive pickup device which generates electrical impulses in response to the impacts of the articles on the diaphragm. These impulses are suitably amplied and are employed to control the counting apparatus, which counts the impulses and thus counts the articles as they impinge on the diaphragm. When the predetermined number of articles has been delivered, the counting apparatus automatically releases a device which blocks the chute at the delivery end and operates a signal to call an attendant, who replaces the lled container with an empty one and then resets the chute blocking device to open position. In the meantime the counting continues, the articles for the next lot being accumulated in the chute until the fresh container has been placed in position and the chute has been opened by the attendant. The apparatus may operate in this manner without interruption for a desired time, or until the desired number of containers have been filled.

The operation of the counting apparatus is entirely automatic except for the change in con. tainers by the attendant, who may take care of several machines at one time, Thus it will be seen that the invention provides a highly efficient counting apparatus having an excellent eld of application in industry, Iwhere it supplies a need not heretofore satisfied in any economical or practical manner.

The invention will be described more in detail hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a circuit drawing showing diagrammatically the various apparatus units and the electrical circuits constituting an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the interior of the delivery chute, showing the diaphragm on .which the articles are dropped; and

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

The apparatus as shown herein is designed for counting small nuts and delivering them to containers in lots of predetermined numbers. It obviously will operate also to count any other small articles of comparable size and weight. The way the counting device is arranged, lots of 500 or 1000 may be counted, it being assumed that only lots of these numbers are required; and it may be stated in this connection that the counting device is designed especially for the work it has to perform, with a View to making it as simple as possible.

Referring to the drawings, the nuts I0 are delivered to the counting apparatus by a belt conveyor indicated at I l. The source of supply may be arranged to deliver the nuts to the conveyor in a single line, or at least in spaced relation lengthwise of the conveyor, or guides may be provided to line the nuts up on the conveyor belt as they move along. The rate of travel may be such that if the nuts are in contact with each other in a straight line on the conveyor belt they will be .the hand lever.

delivered at a rate equal to the safe operating rate of the counting apparatus. The apparatus will readily handle 600 to 1000 nuts per minute.

The reference character I2 indicates a chute which is supported in suitable manner and arranged to receive the nuts as they fall from the end of the belt conveyor. The shape of the chute will be readily understood from Figs. 1 and 2, but can be modified as desired so long as it retains its function of delivering the nuts in the proper manner to the containers. indicated at I3, and rests on a support I4.

21,487,265 i -V l One of the latter .is 5

In the Wall I5 of the chute there is` inserted a y resilient membrane-like member forming aldiaphragm I6, which is separately-shown inFigs. 2`

Thyratron. The operation of such tubes is well known and hence it will be necessary to call attention only to the essential features of the circuit.

The pickup winding or coil 2| is included in a closed grounded circuit which includes the grid leak resistor 42. This circuit is connected direct to the control' grid of tube 4U.' `The. resistor 43 is the usual grid biasing resistor for the tube, which in the absence of grid excitation maintains the current flow in the cathode plate circuit at a very low value. The suppressor grid may be connected direct to the cathode; while the screen grid is connected to the junction of resistors 45 and 46, forming` ,with the# potentiometer 44 a voltage divider."

- f lThe controlg-ridl of tube 4I is connected by way phragm from the chute, so that accidental shocks v y or jars to which the chiite may be subjected'fare not communicated to it. The chute should be sodisposed that the'nuts falling from the' conveyor impinge onr the `diaphragm Vapproximately at the center thereof,l althoughthis is notstrictly necessary. As each nut strikes the diaphragm it rebounds substantially asr shown by the-dotted line 'and passes down the chute. l

The pickup device associated with the diaphragm may be mounted on the chute-in' suitable manner as indicated, and may be structurally similar to the well known type of loud speaker unit. As shown diagrammatically herein, it comprises a permanent magnet I8, "a Vheel piece I9, a core carrying a winding 2|,vand an Varma-y ture 22. The armature may be supported on'the permanent magnet I8 by means of a stii reed 23 and is connected to the diaphragm I6 by means of a rod 24. Movement of the armature 22 caused by the impact of a .nut on the 'diaphragm I6 alters the ux in the magnetic circuit ofthe pickup device and generates a voltage in 'the winding 2|, A p The arrangement for blocking the chute includes a shaft 26 which passes throughY the chute from front to rear and has bearings in the front and rear walls thereof. Inside the chutev the shaft 26 carries a vane 29 of -rectangular shape and adapted in the position in which Ait is shown to close the chute. In front of the chute there is a hand lever 2 1 xed to shaft 26.* Thishand llever is used to rotate the shaft 26 and thereby also rotate the vane 29 toa vertical positionin order to open the chute. When operated inthis manner the end of the hand lever engagesa pivoted latch 30 and the vane 29 is locked'inA open position. j

An electromagnet A3| is "provided for releasing When this magnet is'energized it attracts the armature 32 attached to latch 30 and moves the latter on its pivot sufficiently to disengage the end of the hand lever. Thereupon the spring 28 restores the hand lever 2l and vane 29 to the position in which these parts are shown in the drawing. A F

The reference character 33 indicates a switch which is closed by the hand lever 21 whenit'is released. This switch controls the circuit `of a signalling device 34, which may bea` lamp or a bell, provided for the purposeof Warning an attendant that `a container has .been lled. Y

Suitable means including the tubes 4l)Y and 4 I. is provided for amplifying the impact voltages generated by the pickup device and for converting them' into impulses suitable for( operatinggthe counting device. The tube 140 may'be/atype 6J7G pentode, while' tribe 4I may'be a type`205l of resistors 48 and 49 to the movable contact of thepotentiometer 44, this connection being effective to maintain a negative potential on the lgrids'uilicient torlpreventthe tube from passing vcurrentf.l This potential 'imay` be yadjustedzfby .means of the lpotentiometer. The cathode' plate circuit of the tube 4I includes the resistor illand the" windingfof 'thefrelayr 52, .therelay .being 'shunted bythe condenser 5I... Relay 52.'is the im?? pulsingrelay for operating thecounting device. ivThe tube 49 controls the tube 4I `by meansLofJa 'condenser' 4l, whichfis connected-'between tthe Acathode' of tubef40 and .the junction of resistors 48 and 49 in the grid circuit'of tubeM.' f' The counting device includes two step-byestep cam switches SI and S2; l f 1l- The cam switch SI maybe of known construetion and comprises a ratchet. wheell64, a stepping magnet 65, an armature'66; a--pawlh and -two cams 'I9 'andv'I-I' which aremountedonflth'e ratchet wheel shaft and rotate with its-The 'switch is of the type in which thezratchet wheel is advanced upon thek deenergization ofthe stepping magnet. Whenv the steppingI magnet is energized V the armature 66 isattractedand pawl -67 dropsvinto the notch behind the next adjacent tooth.- Upon the deenergization of the stepping magnet the armatnreis retractedby the spring 68 and the vpawl'badvances the ratchet wheel through the angular distance `of one tooth. `It will be assumed that the ratchet Wheel has fifrty rteeth, and that fifty impulsesA or'ener'gizationso'f the'stepping magnet are required for a complete rotation of'cam's 1D and -IIL- The armature-'66 also vcontrols aninterrupter 'contact 69,y whichf-is included in the'r'est'tirg-'circit of the `s'witlc'h Thecams 'lll and "ll control certain circuitsof the counting device,-` as will Vb'e"`exp la.ii1e,d "pre'sl entr: f, t y. j The cam switchyS2 Ais similar tothe camswitch SIand includesthe ratchet 'whelf^12,"steppin g magnet 13, and the three cams 15, 16 and 'I'I. The 'switch'SZ diers from switch SI inlthe number and construction of the cams, and infthe number of ratchet teeth, the ratcht'wheel *T21 having only 40' teeth.- ',sl in the case ofswitchfslfthe cams of switch S2 control' circuits ,of the counting i fdevice, which will be 'explainedrin the'vcourse--oi sansa-aes ings as' 'a' battery. lThe otherf equipment items such as the relays (except 52), magnetsand 4lamps may be supplied with current at 50 volts andfor this purpose another battery may be The operation of the counting'apparatus will `now beexplained. It will be assumed that the apparatus is inl the condition in which it appears in the drawing. The cam switches SI and `S2 have been reset and are in zero position. vSwitch 33 is closed and the signal 34 is in operation. The delivery of nuts by the belt conveyor has just started and the iirst nut is about to fall from the conveyor onto the diaphragm I6.

The attendant may now operate the hand lever 21 to open the chute. Y The-lever will then be held in operated position by the latch 30. Switch 33 is opened and the operation of the signal 34 ceases. The nuts leaving the conveyor belt fall in rapid succession onto thel diaphragm I B, from which they rebound and pass down the chute into the container I3.

The inpact of a nut on the diaphragm I6 produces a mechanical shock which is transmitted to the armature 22 of the pickup device by the rod 24. More accurately, the impact produces a highly damped vibration of the diaphragm and armature. As a result corresponding changes are produced in the flux in the magnetic circuit of the pickup device and alternating voltages are generated in the winding 2|, the wave shape of such voltages being that of a highly damped train of oscillations. The alternating voltages produce a current flow in the circuit of the winding 2| and voltages are developed across the resistor 42 which are applied to the grid 0f tube 40. At the rst positive half wave the grid potential is raised enough so that the current iiow in the cathode plate circuit of the tube is very substantially increased. This raises the potential at the cathode of the tube, and since the cathode is coupled to the grid of the tube 4| by the condenser 41, the potential at the grid of the latter tube is momentarily raised sufficiently to cause the tube to re; that is, it begins to pass current.

Due to the known characteristics of the tube, once current starts to flow it continues toflow independent of the grid and at a rate determined by the Aconstants of the cathode plate vcircuit.

When the tube 4| res, the condenser 5I starts Ito charge in series with the resistor 50, the resistor serving to limit the initial current iiow'to a Isafe value. Current also flows through the relay 52 "which is connected in parallel with the condenser, but the relay cannot energize until the condenser becomes charged to a fairly high potential. Upon energizing, relay 52 closes its contact 53 and opens itsv contact 54. The opening ofr4 contact 54'stop`s the flow of current and extinguishes the tube.` The condenserSI now discharges through the relay and slightly delays its i deenergization. The arrangement insures' a isingle positive operation of the relay.

The foregoing describes the voperations result- `ing from` the impact of a single nut on the diaphragm t8.' Each'succe'edin'g nut produces the l's'arne effect and thus the relayv 52 isrepeatedly thecam'switch S'I over "'a' circuit which may' be traced Afrom ground byway-'of Contact 53 ofrelay 52, 'conductor l18,'-contaet L18ct relay 80g-iconx' to-'thernegative pole of the battery. Theseini- -pulses are effective to'operate the stepping magnet 65 to .advance the cam switch SI in known manner. At the end of the iirst impulse, when the stepping -magnetdeenergizes the cam 10 causes the contact spring 8| :to disengage spring 82 and to engage 'spring 83. These circuit changes have no effect for the time being. No other circuit changes ltake place as the switch continues to advance until, following the 49th impulse, the cam 1| causes the contact spring B4 to engage the spring 85. This prepares a circuit for the stepping magnet 13 of the cam switch The 50th impulse energizes magnet 65 like previous impulses and also energizes the stepping magnet 13 over a circuit extending from ground by way of contact 53, conductor 18, contact 86, conductor 81, springs 85 and 84, conductor 88, and winding of stepping magnet 13 to the negative pole of the battery. The energization and deenergization of the stepping magnet 13 is effective to advance the cam switch S2 one step, with the result that cam 15 causes the contact spring 89 to disengage spring 90 and engage spring 9|. These circuit changes are of no effect at present. The cams 16 and 11 also advance one step, causing the contact springs 92 and 95 to disengage springs 94 and 91, respectively, and engage springs 93 and 96, respectively. A circuit is now completed for relay 6 I, extending from ground by way of contact spring 98, contact 98, switch 62, springs 95 and 96, conductor |00, and winding of relay 6I to the negative pole of the-battery. Upon energizing, relay 6| establishes a locking circuit for itself at its contactIDI, and at contact |02 prepares a circuit for the release magnet 3|,

Fifty impulses have now been counted, corresponding to fty nuts delivered to the container I3, and the cam switch S2 has been advanced one step. The cam switch SI has been restored to its original starting position.

The cam switch SI continues its response to impulses from the relay 52 and advances step by step, as described. Following the 99th irnpulsethe cam` 1| closes the springs 84 and 85 again, with the result that the 100th vimpulse operates the stepping magnet 13 of cam switch S2 to advance the switch S2 another step.

The cam switch S2 continues yto be advanced in this manner, once for each fty steps of the cam switch SI, until nally, in response to the lOOOth impulse, it takes its 20th step, corresponding to-twenty full rotations of cam switch SI.` V'One thousand nuts have now been delivered to container I3; As previously mentioned, the

`ratchet wheel 12 of cam switch S2'has; forty teeth, from which it will be understood that after the switch has taken twenty steps the lower lobe of cam 11 will have changed places with the upper lobe and the contact spring 35 will have been re-operated to the position in which it is shown in the drawing.

The operation of cam switch S2 as described above results inthe closure 'of a'circuit' for vthe release magnet 3| which may be Itraced from ground by way of contact 98,v contactI 99,7swith 62, springs 85 and 91, contact |82, conductor |03,

and winding oi magnet 3| tothe negative pole of the battery. Upon energizing over this circuit,

magnet 3| attracts its armature 32 and causes the latch- 30 to release the hand lever 21;?:which '-is restored byspri-ng 28 to the positionninfwhich ductor 80, and winding of the stepping metf-it 'appears mftherlwns- 'IYh-flreleaseot the 7 hand lever rotates the vane 29 to closed position, thus blocking the chute and preventing the delivery of additional nuts to the container |3.

The release of the hand lever 21 also closes the switch 33 to thereby operate the signal 34. Being notified in this manner that the container has been iilled with the required number of nuts, the attendant withdraws the filled container I3 and replaces it with an empty one. The attendant then operates the hand lever 21 as before to open the chute, whereupon the nuts which have been counted while the chute was closed are released for delivery to the new container. In View of the continuous delivery of nuts by the conveyor, it will be understood that followingy the closure oi the circuit of magnet 3| as described in the foregoing the cam switch SI continues operation to count the nuts which are to make up the second lot. When fifty nuts of l the second lot have been counted, the cam switch S2 is advanced one step as before (its 21st step) and the cams 16 and 11 restore the contact springs 92 and 95, respectively. The restoration of contact spring 95 breaks the circuit of magnet 3|, which accordingly deenergizes. On the assumption that the nuts are being delivered at a fairly high speed, as will usually be the case, the magnet 3| will become deenergized before the attendant has had time to change the containers and operate the hand lever 21, with the result that when the hand lever is operated it is retained by the latch 30, as previously described.

In connection with the foregoing it may be mentioned that if the articles to be counted are delivered at a rather slow rate, or if the delivery is apt to be interrupted frequently, a situation may arise in which ground from contact 98 is maintained on the conductor |03 for a prolonged interval due to delay in delivery of the impulse signifying delivery of the first nut of the next lot to the diaphragm l5 and consequently delay in the operation oi the switch S2 to rotate its cams a corresponding step so as to cause opening of contacts 95, 91 and therewith prompt release of magnet 3|, as described in the preceding paragraph. Suc'h condition would prevent prompt release of magnet-3| and therewith of the latch 3S to place it in readiness to lock the lever 21 after actuation thereof by the attendant so as to permit delivery of the nuts of the next lot to the new container. A slow-to-energize relay |04 may be provided to assure quick release of magnet 3| so as to avoid trouble resulting from such condition. This relay may be connected to conductor |03 at terminals |06. The terminals |01, |08 of its pair of contacts |05 may be inserted in conductor |03 at correspondingly marked points. Accordingly, relay |40 energizes in parallel with the magnet 3| and the latter attracts its armature 32 to unlatch the lever 21. Relay |04 opens its contacts |05, thereby opening the conductor |03 leading to the magnet 3|, causing deenergization of this magnet to release its armature 32 and therewith the latch 30 to normal position so that the latch is in readiness to lock the lever 21 again in response to operation thereof by the attendant. The provision of relay |04 obviates any trouble the attendant may have in the situation mentioned due to failure of the magnet 3| to deenergize promptly and the consequent failure of the hand lever to become latched when operated.

Continuing with the explanation, the operation proceeds as described, the second, third, etc.

lots being counted oli in the same manner as the rst. After each lot is counted the attendant is notiiied, a fresh container is moved to position in place of the one just filled, and the chute is opened to start delivery to the new container.

Eventually the supply of nuts to the conveyor will stop and the counting operations will be suspended. The supply of nuts may become temporarily exhausted, for example; or the required number of containers may have been lled. Assuming that operations are not to be resumed immediately, it will usually be desirable to return the unlinished lot in the last container to the source of supply and reset the counting device to zero, so that it Will be ready to count a full lot when counting is resumed.

In order to reset the counting device the attendant operates the key K, thereby closing a circuit for the reset relay 60. Upon energizing, relay 60 opens the locking circuit of relay 6|, which accordingly deenergizes, opens its locking circuit at contact |0l, and at contact |02 opens a point in the circuit of magnet 3|. Relay 60 also closes a circuit for the stepping magnet 65 of the cam switch S|, extending from ground by way of contact 9B, contact |91, conductor |06, contact springs 8| and 83 (assuming that switch SI is not in zero position), interrupter contacts 09 of switch SI, and Winding of the stepping magnet 65 to the negative pole of the battery. This circuit is broken at the interrupter contacts 69 each time the magnet 65 energizes and accordingly the magnet is rapidly energized and deenergized to advance the switch to zero position, whereupon the cam 10 breaks the circuit at contact springs 8| and 83. The cam switch SI is now reset and ready to start a new count.

The cam 10 upon reaching zero position causes contact spring 8| to engage spring 82, which extends or transfers the resetting circuit to the stepping magnet 13 of the cam switch S2. The extended resetting circuit includes the contact springs 89 and 9| associated with cam 15 and the interrupter contacts 14 and is effective to advance the cam switch S2 to zero position. Upon arriving in this position the cam 15 opens the circuit at contact springs 89 and 9| and the operation of the switch ceases. Both switches Sl and S2 have now been reset and stand in the positions in which they are shown in the drawing.

In zero or reset position the cam 15 causes the contact spring 89 to engage spring 90 which transfers the resetting circuit to the signal lamp 63. The lamp 63 accordingly is lighted up and the attendant is thereby notied that the resetting operation has been completed. The key K may now be restored, relay 60 is deenergized, and the lamp 63 is extinguished.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the counting device is arranged for counting lots of 500 as Well as lots of 1000. When it is desired to count lots of 500, the switch 62 is shifted to its alternate position. In this position of the switch the circuit of magnet 3| is controlled by the cam 16 of the cam switch S2 rather than by cam 11. Since the cam 10 has four lobes instead of two, the size of the lots counted is reduced by one-half.

It will be understood that the apparatus may be arranged to count lots of various other sizes by changing cams. For instance, if a singlelobed cam is substituted for cam 11, the apparatus will count lots of 2000. As another example, the single-lobed cam 1I may be replaced by a double- Llobed cam, adapting the apparatus to count lots vwhich are multiples of 25 instead of multiples It will be understood also that the switch S2 may be provided with as many cams such as 16 and ll as may `be .desirable-or. necessary, in any given situation. The switch 62 will have as man selective positions .as there are cams.

The thickness and strength of the diaphragm I6 must,f` of course, be suited to the weight of the articles to'be counted, but is not critical. That is, a given diaphragm may be used for counting different articles having weights which dier within a considerable range. i

The invention having been described, that which is believed to be new and for which the protection of Letters Patent is desired will be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for counting articles, comprising means for causing articles to be counted to fall successively over a predetermined path freely downwardly through space, an inclined membrane-like member forming a resilient diaphragm n which the fallingarticles are intercepted one at a time and from which the articles rebound one at a time ltofall -freely downwardly through space, a 4chute for receiving the articles as they rebound from said diaphragm, means responsive to the impact of each larticle on said diaphragm for generating an electrical impulse, a device for counting said impulses, and means controlled by said device, responsive to a predetermined number of impulses counted thereby for blocking said chute. i

2. Apparatus for counting articles, comprising a membrane-like member forming a resilient surface, means for causing articles to be counted to impinge successively against said surface and to rebound therefrom one at a time to fall freely downwardly through space, means forming a chute for receiving the articles as they rebound from said surface and for delivering them to a container, means responsive to the impact of each article on said surface for generating an electrical impulse, a device for counting said impulses, and means disposed in said chute and controlled by said device responsive to a predetermined number of impulses counted thereby for stopping the delivery of articles to said container.

.3. Apparatus for counting articles in lots of predetermined numbers, comprising means for causing articles to be counted to fall successively freely through space, an inclined diaphragm on which the falling articles impinge one at a time and from which they rebound one at a time to fall freely downwardly through space, a chute for receiving the articles as they rebound from said diaphragm and for delivering them to a container disposed at the discharge end thereof, means responsive to the impact of each article on said diaphragm for generating an electrical impulse, a device for counting said impulses, means in said chute forming a normallyopen gate controlling the delivery of articles by said chute, means controlled by said impulse-counting device responsive to a predetermined number of impulses counted thereby for closing said gate to stop delivery thereby furnishing a time interval for replacing said container which received said counted articles by another container which will receive a like number of successively counted articles, and manually operated means for opening said gate to effect delivery of articles to said other container.

4. Apparatus for filling containers with articles in lots of predetermined members, comprising means for causing said articles to travel successively along a predetermined path which ends in the container being filled, means for counting the articles as they pass a certain point in said path, means controlled by said counting means and responsive to the counting of one lot of articles for accumulating the articles of the next lot at another point farther along on said path, thereby introducing a delay during which the container to which the first lot was delivered may be replaced by a second container, and means for causing the accumulated articles to resume their travel along said path.

5. Apparatus for filling containers with articles in lots of predetermined numbers, comprising a chute for delivering the articles to the containers, a gateat the delivery end of said chute, means for opening said gate and for latching it in open position, an electromagnet for unlatching said gate, means for causing articles to pass down said chute to a'container, means responsive to the passage of a predetermined number of articles down the chute for energizing said electromagnet, and means for closing said gate when it is unlatched by said electromagnet.

6. In combination, a delivery chute having an inclined wall, a membrane-like member forming a resilient diaphragm set in saidwall, means for delivering articles to said chute by dropping them one by one on said diaphragm from which they rebound one by one to fall freely downwardly through space, a device controlled by said diaphragm for counting said articles, and means controlled by said device for governing the discharge of counted articles from said chute.

7. Apparatus for counting commercial articles comprising an inclined support, a membrane-like member mounted edgewise in said support and forming a resilient diaphragm therein, conveyer means disposed above said support for receiving articles to be counted and for conveying such articles to a point where they fall freely through space and onto said diaphragm impinging thereon one by one substantially centrally thereof and rebounding from said diaphragm to fall freely through space in generally downward direction, and means controlled by said diaphragm whereby the impact of each article thereon produces a signal for counting purposes.

8. Apparatus for counting commercial articles comprising an inclined support, a membrane-like member mounted edgewise in said support and forming a resilient diaphragm therein, conveyer means disposed above said support for receiving articles to be counted and for conveying such articles to a point where they fall freely through space and onto said diaphragm impinging thereon one by one substantially centrally thereof and rebounding from said diaphragm to fall freely through space in generally downward direction, the impact of each article on said diaphragm producing a damped vibration thereof, electromagnetic means associated with said diaphragm and mechanically elastically connected therewith for receiving such vibrations to generate alternating voltages, and a device for amplifying said voltages and for converting the same to a single direct current counting impulse.

9. Apparatus for filling containers with articles in lots of predetermined numbers comprising a generally vertically disposed hopper for receiving articles which are dropped thereinto for passage therethrough by gravity for delivery to containers at the lower discharge end thereof, means for counting said articles as they pass through said hopper, means forming a gate disposed in said hopper near the discharge end thereof, means controlled by said counting means when a lot has been delivered to a container for closing said gate to block delivery from said hopper, articles dropped into said hopper subsequent to the closing of said gate and forming part of the next lot being deposited on said gate and thus accumulating in the hopper, and means for thereafter opening said gate to unblock said hopper so as to permit delivery of said last-named lot to a container.

10. Apparatus for filling containers with articles in lots of predetermined numbers comprising a generally vertically disposed open-ended hopper for receiving articles which are dropped thereinto in continuous succession for passage therethrough by gravity for delivery to containers disposed at the lower discharge end thereof, means for counting said articles as they pass through said hopper, means forming a gate disposed in said hopper near the discharge end thereof, means controlled by said counting means for closing said gate after each lot is counted to block delivery of articles in excess of the predetermined number of each lot, and means for thereafter opening said gate to resume discharge of articles from said hopper.

MARTIN L. NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Shreves Dec. 9, 1919 Jones May 5, 1931 Cohn Dec. 10, 1935 Geicken June 30, 1936 McDonnell June 6, 1939 Mumma Mar. 18, 1941 Spaunburg Jan. 6, 1942 Draper et al. Mar. 10, 1942 Wilckens Dec. 15, 1942 Dowey et al Dec. 29, 1942 Wyeth Mar. 9, 1943 Breitenstein Mar. 30, 1943 Pearson et al Aug. 10, 1943 Shaw Dec. 21, 1943 Hayes et al. Jan. 6, 1948 Miller Jan. 27, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb. 6, 1931 

